e-Newsletter | Winter 2021
In This Newsletter:

GEMS Team
Meet Kate Frost - Senior Event Coordinator

Global Events in Retrospect
2021 IORA Blue Carbon Hub ‘Think Tank’
2021 ICP Webinar Series Underway

Event Funding Support
State by State Funding Opportunities Still Available

Quickfire Q&A
Talking Hybrid Events with 2021 AusCERT Cyber Security Conference Convenor - Bek Cheb
Meet Kate Frost - Senior Event Coordinator

We are delighted to welcome Kate Frost to the GEMS team. Kate has worked in the business events sector for over 6 years, having primarily worked with clients in the Pharmaceutical industry. Kate's knowledge and experience will further bolster GEMS capacity to deliver quality, delegate focussed experiences for each client.

A word from Kate...

"Having started in entry level roles, I have a great appreciation and understanding of how each role contributes to the overall event experience. I absolutely love the variety that working in events brings, from administration, to connecting with people from various industries, through to the onsite operations experience. I value getting to know clients and delegates, especially that moment when we finally get to meet face to face onsite."
Global Events in Retrospect

2021 IORA Blue Carbon Hub ‘Think Tank’

GEMS worked alongside the CSIRO and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to deliver the first 100% virtual Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Blue Carbon Hub ‘Think Tank’ event from 24th - 27th May.

The event attracted over 130 attendees from IORA's 23 Member States and 9 Dialogue partners - Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

This interactive event was well received by the attendees, accommodating an effective virtual 'think tank' environment to address the current challenges and impediments with using mangroves and other coastal ecosystems as a nature-based solution for coastal defence and generating the plan of research needed to fill critical gaps.
2021 ICP Webinar Series Underway

GEMS recently delivered the second webinar for the International Confederation of Principals in it's 2021 series. The webinar was delivered by internationally renowned leadership and system reform in education expert, Dr Steve Munby. Over 180 delegates registered from 14 countries - Australia, Canada, Finland, Ghana, India, Ireland, Lesotho, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Eswatini, Uganda and United Kingdom.

We continue to support the ICP in the delivery of professional development experiences, that foster connection and collaboration within their international membership base and education leadership community.
Event Funding Support
State by State Funding Opportunities Still Available

The Professional Conference Organisers Association (PCOA) have provided a quick reference guide for funding still available across all Australian states and territories.
Quickfire Q&A
Talking Hybrid Events with 2021 AusCERT Cyber
Security Conference Convenor, Bek Cheb
Bek, thanks for getting on-board for this Quickfire Q&A! So, it’s been about a month since we were all on-site at The Star, Gold Coast to deliver the 20th Annual AusCERT Cyber Security Conference, spanning 5-days and attracting over 800 in-person and virtual delegates (50/50 split).

Looking back, how successful was the 2021 Conference staged as a hybrid event?

Bek: Extremely successful. I’ve been overwhelmed by the amazing feedback I’ve received.

Why did you choose to deliver the event in a hybrid format rather than 100% virtual as you did in 2020?

Bek: Virtual was a nice substitute while we couldn’t meet face to face, but for AusCERT it was really important to get people back together in a safe way to really get the most out of the program, networking, hands on tutorials and interacting in our sponsor exhibition.  

How did you find the transition from a traditionally in-person event to a hybrid event in 2021? 

Bek: What an extreme learning curve! At first I thought having run in-person conferences and then a virtual conference it would make it easier for us, but hybrid was a whole new world again. I’m so grateful for the advice and support from GEMS and our AV partners Con-Sol to make delivery as seamless as possible.

Do you feel your industry responded well to having the option of attending in-person or virtually?

Bek: Definitely! For some people it was so important to get back to seeing people face to face, but we also had a high number of attendees who had restricted budget or policies for no travel. Interestingly, we also had a number of organisations support more delegates attending with a split of in-person and virtual, which meant more staff could be involved.
How did your virtual attendees respond to the OnAIR virtual event platform?

Bek: We’ve received great feedback, I was pleasantly surprised at the very small number of support requests [during live event] and delegates found it really easy to navigate.
 
What was the biggest challenge you faced in delivering this event in a hybrid format?

Bek: Getting across all the technical details and establishing a workflow between all our delivery partners, so that everyone knew exactly what their role was in delivery.  
 
Do you feel GEMS supported AusCERT in addressing this challenge? 

Bek: Most definitely! The experience and knowledge about the OnAIR platform that GEMS have was crucial in our success.

What advice would you give to other conference convenors thinking about hosting virtual or hybrid events?

Bek: Spend the time in the beginning to talk to your event partners to make sure you are all across what the implications are in regards to audience, resources and overall costs. It’s also really important to decide your delivery method early on so you can plan accordingly. If you really want a good experience for delegates, it takes a lot of good planning.
 
Do you think the hybrid event is here to stay?

Bek: I definitely think hybrid is here to stay, just like hybrid working has shown us advantages, I can see the benefit in providing both options to delegates ongoing.

Thanks for providing our readers with some insight into the world of hybrid events, Bek. Onwards and upwards toward AusCERT 2022!
If you would like to learn more about delivering a virtual or hybrid event, please reach out for a chat. We would love to introduce you to the OnAIR virtual event platform and show you all the possibilities. To arrange a demonstration, please contact mglasson@gemsevents.com.au.
Do you need guidance and support to deliver
your next event?

With almost 30 years expertise in hosting complex, multi-faceted events beyond 1,000 attendees, we can help deliver your next big event. Contact Michelle Glasson, Director of Marketing and Business Development +61 2 9744 5252 or email mglasson@gemsevents.com.au